Tag Archives: bible study

The Magpie and the Vine

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From my bedroom window, I can see two magpies making a nest high atop a tree. Every branch is neatly put in the right place by the male and female magpie. They work together meticulously.

At some point, one of the magpies throws a branch out of the nest. The branch is not good enough to build the nest.

As I am watching this, I am thinking about the words Jesus spoke in John 15 which says,

“I am the real vine, and my Father is the gardener. Every branch which is part of me but fails to bear fruit, he cuts off; and every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes, so that it may bear more fruit.”

How beautiful that God presents His work to me so clearly.

God wants His kingdom to be perfect. Just like the magpies with their nest. A bad nest cannot hold the eggs, and it will not allow the magpies to have chicks in the spring. Only when a nest is well constructed, it can hold the eggs and keep them safe and warm. The chicks can grow up well, and in time become strong enough to leave the nest. So, only when God’s kingdom is strong, it will be able to allow God’s children to grow up, strong in their faith.

What this display of the magpies also showed me is, the importance of strong faith. God prunes us, Jesus said. He takes away the bad in us, and He will leave the good, so that we become strong in our faith. When I leave my faith in the hands of the Gardner, He will prune and take away the bad branches. Meaning, He will take my bad habits and change them for good ones. He will take my heart and make it new. He will create a new spirit within me. That is what He does. Our Heavenly Father makes us new. He makes us better. What a blessing!

It amazes me how God can use nature to teach me. I am mesmerised at the works of His hands. He made this world so beautifully, and meticulously. God is the greatest Artist, and I am so grateful to be His daughter.

What moment in nature taught you something about God? Please share it in the comments below! I cannot wait to hear your stories!

These words and all the poetry and content on this page belong to Gineke van Keulen!
Do not use without permission! Thank you!

A Lent Story

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For the passed few months I tried to be less on my phone. It is only since lent began that I started taking it more seriously. I took on more hobbies. I try to leave my phone in another room, or on the other side of the room, and I try to spend my time more thoughtful.

During my bible study time this morning, as I was reading Psalm 79 verse five which says, “How long, Adonai? Will you be angry forever? How long will your jealousy burn like fire?”  

I focused more on that word ‘jealousy.’ I learned that idolatry is the main thing in the bible that causes God to become jealous. It made me aware that all that time on my phone, is time I am not spending with God.

This poem came forth out of that bible study. I am undone by God’s mercy and grace, and I remember the prodigal son returning home. There is always a way home, a way back to God, and for that I am beyond grateful! I can make mistakes, but I am equally able to run back to God and apologise! The Father’s arms are always open, ready to welcome me, and you, home. And that is a blessing I really wanted to share with you this morning!

My Repentance

Awareness hits me,
as I realise,
how much time,
I spend elsewhere.

Hidden in a device,
that should not take,
so much of my time,
I ran away from You.

I cannot turn back time,
and prevent my actions,
and my behaviour,
but I can change today,
and come back,
into Your presence.

Will You accept me,
will You welcome me,
back into Your Home?

I know, You will!
For You love is endless.
Your anger is slow,
and you grace,
is abounding.

You are waiting for me,
at the end of the road,
and when You see me,
you run to me,
and bring me back to You,
back to where I belong!

These words and all the poetry and content on this page belong to Gineke van Keulen!
Do not use without permission! Thank you!

About Repentance

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This morning as I was continuing my bible study journey through the second book of Chronicles, I felt the Holy Spirit nudge me to look into the word ‘Repentance’. It is an interesting word. One I always felt was quite clear. In my understanding, repentance was simply apologizing to God for something you did. But my research showed me that repentance is more than this.

First, let’s look at the meaning of the word in the dictionary. My Longman Dictionary told me this about repentance, “To repent means to be sorry for something and wish you had not done it – used especially when considering your actions in a religious way.”(end quote) Apparently, repentance goes beyond being sorry for something. Repentance is also wishing you had not done it in the first place. So in order for my apology to God to become repentance, I have to wish in my heart that I had never done it to begin with.

Then, I looked at the bible. And the bible goes further. The bible connects bearing good fruit with repentance. In Matthew 3:8, John the Baptist says, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.”(end quote) John explains that repentance is vital for your faith, and without repentance one cannot bear good fruit. I think, I can safely say that repentance is at the heart of faith in Jesus. One cannot face Christ without feeling the need to confess ones sins and change their ways in order to live right for Him.

What I understand is this, repentance goes further than a simple apology. It asks me to change my behavior and actions. A few years ago Jesus gave me the following words that I am reminded of today, He said, “And apology is merely a collection of words, only a change of heart can redeem the soul.” (end quote) I never forgot those words, because they became a lifeline for me. Whenever I wanted to apologize to God or to others, I was always reminded of this. For my guilt, and apology to be genuine, I have to change my behavior, my life choices, and my actions.

Repentance is vital in the life of a Christian. When we give our life to Christ for the first time, it starts with repentance and the forgiveness of our sins. And during the rest of our days on earth, we keep repenting, and bringing our hearts back to God. Because that is the thing about this life, we live in a broken world, and we, or should I say, I, need to repent every single day, because I will never truly get it right, on this side of heaven. It is exactly why Jesus dies on the cross, because He knew how much humanity falls short of the glory of God.

If you do not believe in Jesus, what can you learn of this? Well, the next time you need to apologize to someone over something you did, ask yourself this question, ‘How sorry am I? Sorry enough to change? To never do it again?’  Because how much is your apology worth, if you will do it again? When you apologize, take it as a learning opportunity. Learn to grow in maturity, and change. The change of your behavior give power to your words.

Jesus died for us, but in order to produce good fruit, and be right with God, we still need to repent. We need to do it now because Jesus said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (end quote, Matthew 4:19) Jesus is coming back, and before He comes, we need to confess, and change for Him. Are you with me?

This bible study and all the other content on this page belong to Gineke van Keulen!
Do not use without permission! Thank you!

The Tears of Jesus

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“Jesus wept.”
John 11: 35 (NIV)

It is the shortest sentence in the entire bible. Jesus wept. He wept over Marta. Over Mary. Over His friend Lazarus, who just died. And He cried over the pain of the people surrounding Him. He cried. He feels their pain!

This morning, I was studying this bible verse when the Lord asked me a question. It caused an earthquake in my soul. Jesus asked me, “How often have you read this and not cared?” Ouch, that one hurt. It did not hurt because I felt a reprimand from Him, but it hurt because I knew, He was right! And I started to write down all my thoughts in my journal. Thoughts I want to share with you now.

I have read this too many times and did not care, to be honest. Because my own grief was too big to notice it. Because I was surviving pain and anxiety every day of my life. Because I was still dragging the past along with me on my shoulders. Today however, I did notice it! Today was the first day when I noticed how wrong I was about my Lord and Savior!

You know, I always thought Jesus did not really care about me, my feelings, or my problems. There was simply too much of it. And in my own self-pity, as I was drowning in a pool of darkness, I did not notice the hand that was stretched out to me. I did not notice the tears that were shed on my behalf. Jesus ‘hand. Jesus tears. But I see it now! I see it so clearly. And it may have taken me a while, but I have grabbed His hand, and I have let Him pull me out of my darkness.

Jesus cares! He cares so much more than we could ever imagine. He is not a distant God that watches us from a throne on high, shaking His head over our inadequacy! No! He cares so much about us that He cries! He cries over our pain, our grief, and our anxiety. And today He is still reaching out to us! Desperate for us to know Him, come to Him, and be saved!

Give Him a chance! Jesus cannot help if we do not allow Him to. He reaches His hand out to you, and to me, but it is up to us to grab it! So, I am writing this today to urge you to grab His hand. Let Him save you! Let Him fill your heart and soul with His abounding love and peace! I can safely say, you will not regret it!